In working with patients, dental professionals are faced with the need to keep instruments, materials and patients in a compact area to reduce the time and inconvenience associated with bringing the necessary implements to the operation at hand and making the requisite materials available for timely use. As a result, a multitude of chairs, tables, instruments and dental accessories have been developed to address these needs. Material handling cups and trays, both with slip-fitted or snap-connected finger mounts and with integrated finger mounts, are but one of the dental accessories designed to meet both challenges.
The prior art has addressed these concerns in a number of fashions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,391 (Malm) shows a finger mounted holding apparatus with a snap fitted cup, which in one embodiment is disposable. The shortcoming of the device lies in the need for precision in the manufacturing of the mating mechanism of the cup and of the finger mount to ensure first, that the two parts will mate and second, that the mated apparatus will be stable during use by the dental professional.
U.S. Pat. No. 902,109 (Powell) shows a finger mounted tray. As will be understood, the shortcoming of this apparatus lies in its inability to handle materials in liquid form. It also is not disposable and thus requires cleaning and sterilizing.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,222,741 (Bush) shows a cup which is slidably attached to a finger ring and is held in the palm of the hand during use. The ends of the finger ring, which is constructed of lightweight metal, overlap so that the ring can be inserted through a bore on the cup and closed by clamping the ring to fit the finger. It will be understood that the constant opening of the ring for mating with the cup and clamping of the ring to fit the finger of the particular dental professional using the device will cause the ring to fail.
Unfortunately, as extensive as the prior art is, shortcomings associated with the use of material handling apparatus still exist and improvements can still be made. One such problem is that repeated use of material handling apparatus which incorporate slip-fitted finger mounts causes the device to slip and slide about the finger when an instrument is dipped into the contents of the cup. A similar problem is that repeated use of snap-fitted finger mounts wears the mating surface resulting in an unstable device. Another consideration is the desirability of free movement of the dental professional's hand during the operation. Additionally, material handling apparatus must be manufactured from materials that are chemically stable when used with various prophylactic remedies, filling materials, medications and other substances used in connection with the practice of dentistry.
Accordingly it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a finger mounted material handling apparatus that remains stable and does not slip and slide around the finger. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a material handling apparatus which will not interfere with or obstruct free use of the dental professional's hand. It is another object of the present invention to provide a lightweight device consisting of an integrated cup and finger mount which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and efficient in use. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.